The researchers examined queen feces and various tissues including
hemolymph, heads, guts spermatheca and ovaries. Tissues of gut, ovaries and
spermatheca, as well as the feces, were found to carry viral infections. In a
separate study, the virus status of queens and their offspring was examined
simultaneously. Once viruses in the queen bees were identified, the same
viruses were found in their offspring, including eggs, larvae and adult
workers.

According to Chen and her colleagues, this information is invaluable
for improving understanding of the epidemiology of virus infections in honey
bees. It could be used to predict bee colonies at risk of virus infection,
which, in turn, would contribute to the development of effective
disease-control strategies.

Honey bees pollinate an estimated $15 billion worth of U.S. crops each
year. The health of honey bee colonies is continuously threatened by various
pathogens, with viruses posing an unknown risk because of lack of information
concerning transmission and outbreaks.

The Entomological Society of America, founded in 1889, has more than
5,700 members and is the largest organization of entomologists in the world.
More than 2,000 entomologists and other scientists are expected to attend this
year's annual
meeting.